Here is at least some preliminary information that may relate to your lease:

    First, Westmoreland is today in Oneida County, which was formed in 1798
from Herkimer County (itself formed from Montgomery County in 1792). The
town of Westmoreland was formed in 1792, from part of the older town of
Whitesboro (1788). So in 1796 Westmoreland would have been part of Herkimer
County.
There is considerable information about this end of the puzzle at the Oneida
County Genweb Site: http://www.rootsweb.com/~nyoneida/ Use its on-site
search engine to find other items mentioned below:
    The patent is probably  Coxe's Patent, which includes part of the town
of Westmoreland -- search for Coxe and Patent\  On Westmoreland itself,
search for Westmoreland. You will note that a Benjamin Blackman is listed as
one of its original settlers. The 1800 Census lists a Samuel Blackman as a
resident of Westmoreland. There were four other Blackman's listed in 1800 in
the county, Elijah in Westmoreland and others in Bridgewater. An Ephraim
Blackman is listed in Surrogate's Court as having died in Westmoreland in
1800 -- no further details. A number of Blackman's are buried in Lairdsville
Cemetery in Westmoreland

    Various genealogical websites discuss a Blackman family which sounds
like this one:
(1) Abraham Blackman, b. July 11, 1705, Little Compton, RI, married
Elizabeth Whitaker. Had at least nine children -- one of them:
(2) Samuel Blackman, b. Nov. 23, 1736, Hebron, CT, died 1820 Sauquit, Oneida
County, NY  m. (1) Mehitable Long (b. 1739 Coventry CT) six children, one of
them: (3) Samuel Blackman, Jr., b. Nov. 4, 1762, married (Mar. 7, 1791) to
Jerusha Babcock. Died (it says) Jan. 28, 1857, Norfolk, MA.
    In the 1790 census there were two Samuel Blackmans living in Huntington
CT. In 1800 there is one in Westmoreland, NY and one in Canton (Norfolk Cty)
MA.. and one in Huntington CT. In 1810 there is one in Huntington. In 1820
there is one in Huntington, CT, one in Boonville (Oneida Cty.) NY, and one
in Dorchester (Norfolk Cty.) MA.  The one in Boonville is aged over 45,
which could match either, but is presumably Samuel Sr.The one in Huntington,
CT is also over 45, which would fit Samuel Jr. (unlike the one in Norfolk,
MA, who is aged 26-45 -- I wonder if that Norfolk MA death date of 1857 has
been applied to the right Samuel Blackman?)

Anyhow, turning to William Cose:
    Burlington is a town in Otsego County, southeast of Oneida County. The
closest name match I can find is that of William Coats. A William Coats, and
also a William Coats, Jr., are listed in the 1800 census as residents of
Burlington..
    William Sr. would appear to be William Coats, 14 APR 1745 in Lebanon, CT
Death: 7 SEP 1821 in Burlington, NY, married Zipporah Palmer (b. Mar. 31,
1747, Stonington, CT). Had  some 10 children, including a William, b. ca.
1773., married Susannah. Another record says he (Jr.) was living in
Burlington in 1800, in Milford (also Otsego County, NY) in 1810, and in
Cicero (Onondaga County, NY) in 1820.
    Either, I suppose, could have been the person negotiating with (either)
Samuel Blackman!

Quite possibly others more familiar with the Oneida County scene than I can
provide further information on this lease and its signers. But I hope this
is a start.

Hugh C. MacDougall
8 Lake Street
Cooperstown, NY 13326-1016
[log in to unmask]
http://www.oneonta.edu/external/cooper
http://www.oneonta.edu/external/ccal



----- Original Message -----
From: "Philip Terrie" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2003 9:05 AM
Subject: Query/ Herkimer County


> A friend of mine has an old, hand-written NY legal document framed and
> hanging on her living-room wall, and I'm writing to see if anyone on this
> list can add to its story.
>
> The document is dated 1796 and is apparently a lease agreement, written in
> the town of Westmoreland, Herkimer County, between William Cose (Cosc?) of
> Burlington and Samuel Blackman of Westmoreland.  It concerns the use of
the
> "4th Division in Cose's [Cosc's?] Patent."
>
> Do these details ring any bells?  For one thing, what is the proper
> spelling of the patent?  And where in Herkimer County is it?  Who was
> William Cose (or Cosc)?
>
> thanks,
> phil
>
> Philip G. Terrie
> Professor, American Culture Studies
> Bowling Green State University
> Bowling Green, OH 43403
> (419) 372-6886 (voice)
> (419) 372-7537 (fax)